After the execution of house searches and the discovery of evidence concerning the newspapers “Heute” and “Krone”, the investigating Economic and Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (WKStA) has taken further action, broadcaster Ö1 and newspaper Der Standard have reported.  Specifically, requests for legal assistance have been sent to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice, asking that they provide all data, files, and correspondence pertaining related to advertising and marketing. These requests cover the period from 2015 to 2022 and apply to all media.  Banner ad BACKG ..read more

The five, two of whom were minors at the time of the suspected plot, are charged with membership in a terrorist organisation. After becoming aware of the group because of its backing for radical Islamist ideology and armed jihad, France’s domestic intelligence service DGSI dispatched two undercover agents to infiltrate the gang. As well as the three French men, one member was born in Russia and another in Algeria. Banner ad According to the charges, what the agents heard at meetings, in addition to wiretap evidence, led police to suspect a plot for “a violent action targeting the surroun ..read more

In 2015 Ryyan Alshebl fled the civil war in Syria for Germany, along with nearly 1.1 million others who arrived in the country the same year. On Sunday he became the mayor of Ostelsheim, a small Swabian village which elected Alshebl with a majority of 55.41 percent. READ ALSO: How well have refugees integrated into Germany since 2015? The 29-year-old ran for election as a non-party candidate but is a member of the Green Party. During the campaign, he received the backing of nearby Tübingen’s mayor Boris Palmer of the Greens, who praised Alshebl as ‘fleissig’, or hardworking.  Manual widge ..read more

Vienna energy bonus Starting in April, a total of 650,000 Viennese households will benefit from the new Vienna Energy Bonus of up to €200. The amount will be automatically transferred to the accounts registered with the Stadt Wien. Additionally, the federal government’s housing aid of approximately €200 per eligible household could be paid from early April. Parties, holidays and events Schönbrunn Easter Market (March 25th – 11th April) Easter markets are held across Austria annually, and one of the most charming takes place at Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace. Stalls at this family-friendly market ..read more

Italy’s popular 60-euro public transport discount (bonus trasporti) was relaunched last week nearly four months after the original scheme lapsed in late December.  This year’s discount comes in the form of a one-off 60-euro voucher to be used towards the purchase of a bus, metro or train pass – unlike the 2022 version, which could be claimed on a monthly basis. READ ALSO: Metro, bus or tram: How to use Milan’s public transport But who exactly will be able to claim the discount in 2023? Banner ad While last year’s bonus was available to anyone with a personal income of up to 35,000 e ..read more

Being an autónomo (self-employed worker) in Spain can be a challenging existence. Whether it be the cripplingly high social security payments you have to pay every month, the complicated tax system, or the convoluted bureaucracy that’s involved, the life of an autónomo in Spain can be difficult. Fully understanding Spain’s tax system is a minefield for most people, and for self-employed people who essentially have to become their own accountants, this is no exception. Whether it’s the complicated Spanish legalese of forms or other archaic elements which sadly are still prevalent ..read more

Germany’s new coalition government is currently working on a reform to citizenship law which, amongst other things, will allow dual citizenship and significantly cut the required residency times for those wanting to become German. READ ALSO: TIMELINE: What happens next with Germany’s plans to allow dual citizenship? With the law expected to be passed in the summer of this year, many budding German citizenship applicants may already be putting together their paperwork to apply for naturalisation. However, even when the law passes, many could still be in for a long wait before they can get their ..read more

Recently, Basel’s public transportation company (BVB), which is faced with staff shortages, advertised vacant positions, saying the company would even hire applicants from Zurich, if no local candidates were found.  This may sound somewhat condescending, though BVB insisted the reference to Zurich was meant as a tongue-in-cheek comment rather than an outright dig. The company had to qualify the remark because in a country that has long avoided conflicts and discords, Zurich and Basel are not exactly neutral about each other. While the rivalry between the two cities is not new, few people ..read more

The decision comes after major Russian attacks on Ukraine last month caused considerable damage to the country’s energy infrastructure, the Danish Energy Agency said in a statement. Banner ad Energy Minister Lars Aagaard subsequently agreed long and short term assistance with Ukrainian counterpart German Galushchenko, according to the statement. Manual widget for ML (class=”ml-manual-widget-container”) The equipment will be used to restore electricity, heating and water infrastructure in Ukraine. Danish companies Energinet, Grundfos and Copenhagen Airport have all supplied equipment. Bot ..read more

Even though inflation is expected to go below the two digits in March, it is still at high levels in Austria, as The Local has reported. As a result, the federal government and provinces have looked for ways to cushion the effects of the high cost of living on its citizens. It has relied heavily on one-off payments, subsidies and bonuses.  This strategy has caused controversy in Austria, with experts warning against the country’s “scattergun approach”. Still, the payments have been popular among residents, particularly the €500 Klimabonus millions of people with Austrian residency receive ..read more